Personal Assistant

As the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) forces companies as large as Amazon, Microsoft and Twitter to ask employees to work from home, remote work is quickly becoming the global new normal for massive numbers of workers.

While some employees thrive working remotely, others fear they’ll feel isolated or unmotivated to work in their own homes. Thus, managers worry about keeping a team motivated and effective without daily face time with their peers in the office.

YPO member Robert Glazer, Founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners, has seen the benefits of remote work for over a decade. His entire organization has worked remotely since its founding in 2007 and has expanded to 177 employees in eight countries. Recognized with awards for industry performance and culture, Glazer believes this is because of their remote culture, not despite it.

“While transitioning a team to a remote environment isn’t always easy, most businesses can excel under these circumstances if they follow certain practices,” he explains.

As more companies are looking to a new reality that they may need to prepare for a future remote workforce, Glazer shares what he’s learned from over a decade of experience leading an award-winning remote culture. Here are the keys he believes will lead to success:

Hire the right people.

You cannot build a successful remote business without hiring employees who excel in that environment. Your remote work policy should be a part of your interview process, including being forthcoming with candidates that working from home is not for everyone and asking them to consider how they would adapt. Ask interviewees: Do they have trouble setting their own schedule and staying disciplined? Are they self-motivated? Their answers to these questions can help reveal if the person is right for a remote environment.

Invest in technology.

Invest in video conferencing software such as Zoom, GoToMeeting and Skype, and project-management tools such as Slack and Asana. Conduct as many meetings via video to ensure employees are more engaged, connected to their colleagues and invested in the success of the team. Also,these tools are crucial for onboarding new employees or transitioning a team to a remote environment, as many companies are now doing due to coronavirus. Employees need to know their organization is committed to making their remote work lifestyle as comfortable and effective as possible; these technology investments go a long way in assuring an easier transition.

Create organizational transparency.

It can be normal, especially in larger companies, for employees to feel disconnected from senior leadership. Under the wrong conditions, this can be especially true in remote organizations. “We’ve made top-down transparency a foundational part of our culture,” says Glazer. “This includes having biweekly all-company briefings where our senior leadership team reports our company financials, progressing sales deals and operational initiatives to the entire company in real time.”

When a company’s leadership is transparent — and invites regular questions and feedback — it creates an environment of trust for employees. With the current health challenges and the many unknowns surrounding the coronavirus, employees need to know they can bring any potential issues to leadership before they become unfixable.

Host face-to-face company meetings.

While this may not be recommended currently given the health guidelines calling for social distancing, it’s important in the long-term to create opportunities for workers to interact in person, even just a few times each year.

“As part of our hiring strategy, we organize most of the company into what we call ‘hubs,’ cities where large collections of our employees are based,” says Glazer. “This allows us to have semi-annual ‘Hub Meetings’ where large groups of our employees gather to connect in person and share feedback with senior leadership in attendance. It also facilitates regular collaboration days, in-person trainings and social events. “

Prioritize professional development.

Companies thrive when employees are consistently learning and growing. Likewise, most employees want a clear path for advancement at work and want their leaders to help them grow even if they aren’t at an office every day. Organizations should invest in professional development by creating virtual courses that employees can take on company best practices and policies, creating mentoring groups where senior team members can share knowledge with new employees, and setting aside time and resources for in-person trainings.

“At our company we’ve taken this a step further,” explains Glazer. “We develop our future senior leaders internally. We hold regular in-person advanced leadership training workshops where employees gather to learn from experts on how to grow their personal and professional leadership skills.”

Embracing unexpected transitions with remote work

Building a great remote culture isn’t easy. Especially for organizations that need to make a sudden transition to this workplace model due to recent global health events. However, most organizations can develop the culture they need to thrive in this environment if they make it a priority.

Here are a few tips to share with your employees who are suddenly finding themselves in a remote work situation:

Don’t leave out details.

Employees can’t just stop by someone’s desk to ask clarifying questions in a remote workplace. This is why it’s vital to clearly explain all details in your verbal and written communications. Conversely, managers should invite clarifying questions so that their direct reports can freely request more information when they are uncertain.

Keep your morning routine.

Your full morning routine may no longer be necessary now that you are not commuting to an office. But, it’s important to set a shortened routine like exercising before work, getting showered and dressed for the day and scheduling breaks during the workday.

Make the most of organizational and productivity tools.

With increased flexibility and decreased structure, it’s important to stay organized and specifically schedule your entire day. Carve out blocks of time for work, meetings, lunch and time away from your computer.

Find or create a space where you can focus on your work.

Whether it’s an entire room or a nook in your home, create a space to focus on work.

Don’t jump to conclusions.

Less face-to-face time is difficult for some and may result in overanalyzing social cues. Therefore, you may use video calls on a regular basis with co-workers to help avoid unintended meanings or directions on process.

Separate yourself from distractions.

It helps to put your phone on silent. Ensure to limit notifications, turn off the TV and consider in-home care for younger children if budget permits.

Welcome new methods of working and communicating.

Be open and flexible to suggestions on how to better collaborate with colleagues. At the same time, offer your own suggestions to improve team productivity.

Work with time zones.

If your employees are operating in different time zones, be sure to carefully budget the timing and deadlines of projects. Also make sure that everybody fully understands the timetable before proceeding.

Cherish opportunities to connect with colleagues on a personal level.

It’s harder to grab lunch with a work colleague. But, you can take time at the start of video calls to check in personally with teammates.

By creating transparency and trust, hiring the right people, and investing in employee growth and enabling technology, business leaders can create a remote organization that doesn’t just match a traditional work model, but outperforms it.

These days, 70 percent of companies offer their workers options to telecommute. That’s according to a 2018 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey. This percentage has increased 11 points in four short years—only 59% of businesses offered remote working options in 2014. Clearly, telecommuting is reaching critical mass. This is why you should consider shifting some of your staff to be able to work from home, such as considering hiring a remote executive assistant.

If that’s not enough to convince you that incorporating offsite workers in their organization is not an experiment, how about this? By Gallup’s estimates, more than one-third of all employees would quit their jobs and take their skills elsewhere if the new position allowed them to work from where they want at least part of the time.

The Learning Curve

Typically, receptionists, secretaries or executive assistants have represented the “face” of organizations. They were the staff members who greet visiting clients or customers. They served as the friendly voices on the phone. And they were seen as a traditional fixture of established, professional companies.

So, there can be a mental leap involved in re-envisioning how administrative and executive assistants operate. This is especially true as the changing landscape of the workplace leaves many people guessing what’s next. It took some time for business leaders to see that knowledge workers could not only work from home instead of in a central office, but that it could even be more practical. Similarly, the learning curve may be equally long for entrepreneurs to recognize the same roadmap for administrative and executive assistants.

The following four points may help advance the conversation around why it now makes good sense for many organizations to opt for a remote executive assistant. Considering that a general Google search for “virtual assistant jobs” produces 285,000 results, there is no time to waste in joining the ranks of many employers and job searchers that are already on board.

Why Hire a Remote Executive Assistant?

Top Talent

When decision-makers open up to the idea of hiring a remote executive assistant, untapped potential to reach greater talent abound. No longer restricted by geography, businesses can mine talent from across the map. This can be an incredible value-add for businesses in smaller towns or lower-tier metropolitan areas, where the local candidate pool may be shallow or exhausted.

Companies that require specialized skills or capabilities also increase the odds of landing the highly-qualified help they need by casting a broader net. For example, a business might never find an executive assistant with a background in business development, who has advanced Excel skills, solid visual editing chops, a knack for increasing operational efficiencies, and incredible accounting skills if they look only within a 30-mile radius. However, the virtual option makes finding such professional “unicorns” all the more likely.

Productivity

Working from home has a way of putting the emphasis on what matters most—getting the job done. Research backs this. A 2012-2013 study from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business revealed that call center workers who were allowed to work from home for nine months were 13 percent more productive. They took fewer breaks, had fewer sick days, and took more calls per minute. Participants also reported higher levels of job satisfaction, and the company’s retention of workers improved.

Businesses that include remote executive assistants in their model can realize similar benefits. Sick days, turnover, disengagement, and other pitfalls associated with rigid work cultures have true business costs. The virtual option can ease the burden, alleviate some risks, and introduce quickened pluses in performance.

Engagement and Employee Happiness

Imagine what not having to deal with a commute does for a team member’s total work day and overall quality of life. The Washington Post reported in February 2016 that the average American commute has jumped by 20 percent since 1980, clocking in at 26 minutes. In big cities and major metros with expansive and highly populated suburbs, it gets much worse. And other employees are dealing with the challenges of the “mega-commute,” driving 90 minutes or more to report for duty.

Add to this the convenience of wearing ultra-casual clothes which are super comfortable. Plus, having healthy at-home snacking options, and enjoying the relative comfort of working from one’s own residence. The health benefits of remote work can bring advantages to employers as well. With fewer sick days, more employee enthusiasm, a positive sensibility that reaches throughout the organization, and even the longer work hours that remote team members voluntarily contribute.

Cost Savings

Did you know that a new cubicle costs about $3,500? Used cubicles go for one-third to half that cost. More modern, better constructed workstations and office partitions can go for much, much more.

But the money businesses save by hiring remote executive assistants extend beyond the initial outlay for a cube. There are also other hard assets, like furniture and office supplies. Associated expenses for on-site employees—particularly for “best-in-class” employers, can include utilities, parking, snacks, beverages, meals, on-site childcare, and more.

Other factors on the softer side of the equation can be more difficult to calculate. Increased productivity, tenured team members, and employee happiness produce innovation, consistent quality work, and sincere client service that defy estimation.

If you’ve been on the fence about hiring new remote assistants, maybe it’s time to think again. As these points show, there can be much more to gain than lose by embracing the new possibilities remote workers bring.

You’ve read all the stats about telecommuting. You know that while it’s a crucial component of creating a work-life balance for your workers, allowing them to work from home is an even bigger benefit for you as the boss. But if all of your employees have worked in the office up until now, you may need a little assistance in order to get your program in place. Here’s how to create a work-from-home program within your company.

Trust Your Employees

In theory, you know that allowing your staff to telecommute is a win/win for both the team and the company as a whole. However, it is important to embrace all the elements of managing a distributed team.

For example, you’ll need to accept that your employees may be unavailable at various points in the day as they tend to personal matters (e.g., a kid’s chorus concert, an aging parent’s orthopedic appointment, etc.). After all, that’s the point of allowing your staffers to have a flexible schedule.

So you have to be able to trust your employees that they will get the work done; it may not always be on your schedule, but it will get done.

You know the expression, “Go big or go home.” Well, the same holds true for allowing your staff to work remotely.

Don’t Pick Favorites

If you cherry pick a few employees to telecommute, you’ll create chaos within your company. A better option would be to devise a plan to let your entire team work from home. That way, you’ll avoid the inevitable feelings of favoritism that will come with letting some (and not all) staffers work from their home offices.

It may take longer to implement a department-wide work from home strategy, but it will definitely create a stronger (and happier) workforce.

While you may have some staffers who have experience working from home, others may be new to the telecommuting game. So it’s up to you to let them know what you expect from them.

Schedule Weekly Meetings

You should never assume they already know what to do. While your employees will probably be doing the same job, you may need to tweak it a bit in order to make it work well as they work from home. In order to achieve this, you should create some metrics by which you’ll be measuring their performances—and then share it.

Schedule a meeting to go over what your needs are, and allow your employees to offer their input as well. Employees typically benefit from a clear-cut list of measurable metrics to evaluate their performance, which in turn helps employers evaluate performance.

After you’ve held meetings with your staff and they’ve begun to work from home, you’ll need to check in with them.

Equip Employees With the Right Tools to Work From Home

In order to ensure your employees’ success, you’ll need to equip them with the right tools.

While they most likely have their home offices set up, they will still need a way to communicate well with each other. So make sure they have the proper software and programs in place to be able to share ideas, documents, and even victories with each other.

You may avail some work from home programs which can help facilitate the flow of information—and more importantly, keep your employees connected to each other and the organization, too.

It’s easy to feel taken off guard when employees ask for a pay raise. At first, you may have more questions than answers. What’s the best way to respond? Should you provide an answer right away? How can you avoid a disastrous interaction when the answer is no? Don’t let these questions overwhelm you. Follow these five steps when employees ask for a pay raise for the best possible outcome – regardless of the scenario.

Let your compensation philosophy guide you

If employees are frequently approaching you and inquiring about raises, the most likely culprit is the lack of solid compensation philosophy.

A compensation philosophy defines what’s important at your company when it comes to managing pay. Your company can have rules and principles on things like salary, bonuses, market competitiveness, among others.

For example, your company might determine that your pay is driven by performance, based on an annual performance review cycle, and you pay at the 50th percentile of the market rate.

You should annually review employee salaries to ensure employees are being appropriately compensated according to your compensation policy. By doing so, you can greatly reduce the likelihood you’ll be approached by your staff with raise requests.

Listen to your employees’ pay concerns

When employees ask for a pay raise, your initial reaction should be to simply listen carefully to your employee’s request.

Not only will this help to make your employee feel appreciated and heard, but it will also help you understand why they’re asking for a raise.

There are a number of possible scenarios, but here are the most common motivators behind this:

Feeling overworked and undervalued

Assuming added responsibilities or multiple roles

Finding out another employee earns more for the same job (or maybe even for a different job)

Looking up data on the Internet and thinking they are underpaid

Not getting a pay raise for several years

After hearing out your employee, you might say, “Thank you for bringing this information to my attention. I’d be happy to look into this further. Please allow time for me to do some research, and I will get back to you in a week to continue our discussion.”

You should never give an immediate response, even if you think the employee doesn’t meet the criteria for a raise. Do your research first.

Consider all the variables

As you think about employees’ requests, you’ll need to analyze a variety of factors.

Here are just a few areas that should influence your decision:

Your company’s compensation philosophy

Overall salary budget

Up-to-date competitive market data

Nature of job duties and responsibilities

Special skills, education or certifications

Internal equity

Past performance

Tenure

Every company will apply different weight to each of these areas depending on what it values most. For example, say your organization is administrative in nature and institutional knowledge is vital. Tenure might be a deciding factor.

Or, if you’re in an industry that’s extremely competitive and turnover is high, you might place more of an emphasis on performance. It’s all about your organization’s needs.

Not all raises are based on tenure and performance. Some are triggered in highly competitive industries or among very competitive jobs, where a market adjustment is warranted. This typically happens when an employee is being paid below what the market dictates, and a pay raise may be justified (and necessary) to retain them. In this instance, you should look at any other employees who are in this particular position to maintain pay equity.

In any case, your company should have sound processes for administering compensation based on the organization’s philosophy.

Also, keep in mind that if an employee presents an individual circumstance or hardship to justify their pay raise request, it should not be a part of the compensation decision. A personal situation should never be a motivator behind a pay raise.

Instead, consider helping employees like this through coaching. Help them understand how they may be able to earn more money in the future by obtaining different skills, earning a degree, or through a particular career path.

Deliver the news gracefully

After you’ve analyzed all appropriate factors, it will be time to deliver either good or bad news to your employee. Regardless, this should be done in person so you can thoroughly explain the process behind the review and how the decision was made.

For example, you could say, “We did our research, and we feel like you deserve a raise based on your performance, tenure and experience level. Thank you for all you’re doing. We really appreciate your contribution, and we look forward to seeing the same level of performance in the future.”

Although you may have the opportunity to grant some raises, chances are, not every employee who asks will qualify.

To these employees, you might say, “I’ve reviewed your request and, based on several factors, you aren’t eligible for a raise at this time.”

You could then elaborate with, “I evaluated your performance appraisals and competitive salary survey data, as well as your current and past experience. Our pay rate is considered appropriate within our salary guidelines. I’m glad you were comfortable discussing this matter with me, and I encourage you to raise your concerns.”

Turning down a pay raise request doesn’t always have to be negative. Helping the employee understand why they weren’t given a raise can build trust with them. It can also make them feel more comfortable in approaching you with tough questions in the future.

It can also be a good time to discuss career aspirations and where they see themselves in the future. Investing the time to talk to your employees, even when it means having difficult conversations, can be well worth it.

Be transparent when it’s not in the budget

There might be occasions where you feel an employee deserves to be paid more, but a raise is not in the budget.

In these situations, transparency is important. Your employee must feel valued, and being open with them – as much as you can – will be critical in this process.

For example, you might say, “While we value and appreciate all your hard work, we’re unable to grant a pay raise at this time due to the budget.”

Consider providing non-monetary rewards to employees in these cases. Things like extra vacation time or opportunities to work remotely might be a good alternative. However, other employees might notice these added perks, and you must be prepared to answer any questions they might have about the arrangement. Treating employees differently can lead to discrimination claims, so you need to be able to explain the legitimate basis for any differences.

Move forward with improved employee relations

Bottom line: You should be prepared to handle a multitude of different scenarios when employees ask for a pay raise – whether you’re able to grant the request or not. If handled properly, these types of discussions can pave the way toward better communication, as well as increased employee performance and morale.

Sometimes it may feel like there isn’t enough time in the day. Your projects are stretching you think as you try to balance work and home, too. You know you need help with the details, but delegating your to-do list to someone else may seem like another grueling step, an extra item on the to-do list. You might think, “If you want something done right, do it yourself”, right? It’s time to leave this phrase in the past. Although it may take time and effort initially in delegating jobs to your personal assistant, it will also free up hours each day. Delegating and outsourcing are your two best options to free up time to do your most valuable work.

You’ll be shocked at what a personal assistant can take off your plate. Even better, they can do it all while you are at work: doubling your productivity.

Here are some things you can ask a personal assistant to do:

Make the calls you are dreading.

If you’ve been ready to switch cell phone providers or wifi services for years but you don’t have three extra hours or the patience to be put on hold, a personal assistant will make those calls for you.

Organizing you travel.

Whether it is a personal vacation or a short out-of-town conference, a personal assistant can find you the best flight options, reserve hotel rooms, schedule meals, and create an itinerary for your trip. Moreover, when something unexpected comes up, like the conference oversells the hotel rooms, your PA can step in and handle the chaos.

Pay your bills.

Are you spending a few hours paying bills on the 1st of the month? Your personal assistant can take this over or even help you set up auto payments to your credit card.

Arrange gifts, cards, and phone calls.

From parents to significant others, your PA will make you look good during birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.

Find a nanny or babysitter.

Searching the web for hours, calling your friends for recommendations, and posting on Facebook aren’t necessary when your PA can do all the searching for you. Give your him or her a task like this and you’ll likely get back a list of the top candidates in your area, how much they charge, reviews, and contact information.

Transcribe and dictate.

Say your thoughts aloud or write down brief notes. He or she will save you hours by writing transcriptions for podcast episodes, webinars, emails, or simple personal documents.

Register for a conference, meeting, or dinner.

They can take care of scheduling that CME credit or conference, just forward the email and consider it done.

Set up appointments.

It’s never been easier to schedule haircuts, doctor appointments, and meetings. Send a text and they’ll send back a confirmation.

Find and schedule a home cleaner.

Dirty house? Don’t spend all night trying to clean it up before your mother-in-law comes to town. A personal assistant will find the best options at the cheapest rates and schedule it around your availability.

Create your “to-do list”.

Everything that you’ve passed on to a personal assistant, the tasks, deliverables, and updates, are available for you every time you have a question. You can see all the progress that is being made while you work on other things.

Call and confirm reservations.

Forgot your brother has a new girlfriend? No problem. Your PA can add to your reservation and confirm the details.

Coordinate when you have an IT issue or tech troubles.

Is your computer, phone, or tablet running slower than normal? Let them trouble shoot for you while you are working for the day.

Order online.

The art for your home, a phone case, or maybe a computer will all be taken care of. They can also handle any product returns.

Find new job opportunities.

While you are at work they can work with recruiters on your behalf to find the best new opportunities and salary increases.

Personal errands.

If you don’t have time to get groceries tonight, they do.

Schedule household repairs and odd jobs.

Hang picture frames, fix an outlet, install a banister, fix a closet door, clean up the garden, or find an upholstery cleaner.

Laundry and dry cleaning.

Save yourself hours of work, let them find a pick up drop off service and coordinate weekly.

Smooth our your move across the country.

From picking a realtor, packing, and moving furniture, to unpacking and organizing, have it all done for you so you feel at home right away.

Help you with your ongoing projects.

Any parts of your ongoing projects that he or she is capable of doing on your behalf. Constantly be on the lookout for things to have them try out. The more you can delegate, the more free time you will have.

Gather data and research.

Let them cull through hundreds of websites and industry information and pull out what you really need.

Coordinate car repairs.

From finding the best auto mechanic to making sure everything gets done, they can coordinate every step.

Find a literary agent and publishing houses.

It’s time to finally get your book published. A personal assistant can coordinate with an agent and publisher.

Organize.

Do you have a storage unit or garage to clean out? Let your PA work with a professional mover and organizer to smooth out the details.

Create or clean up spreadsheets and documents.

Hand over the details and your personal assistant can make all the changes.

Plan parties.

From research and location planning to specific menu items, RSVPs, and decor, let a personal assistant plan it and touch base with you throughout.

Personal assistants can take the small things, like polishing your shoes or making a brunch reservation, or the big things, like planning a trip, off your plate so you can get more done in less time. So the next time you have something on the back of your mind ask yourself, “can a personal assistant do this for me?”

A good personal assistant can be a huge help to a busy professional in virtually any business. Executives, sales professionals and even celebrities use personal assistants to handle their appointments and correspondence and perform other important and time-saving tasks. If you are considering hiring a personal assistant, you should know the qualities to seek. This will allow you to hire a good assistant who can make your professional life much easier.

Communication Skills

One of the most important qualities of a good personal assistant is that she is able to communicate with other people constantly. This includes setting up appointments and meeting and carrying out other business-related tasks. She must also be able to communicate clearly to avoid any misunderstandings. In addition to that, she should be able to keep her composure when communicating with difficult people or those who might be argumentative.

Personality

A personal assistant deals with a variety of people every day in the course of his business. This requires a pleasant, outgoing personality. Politeness and courtesy must be maintained no matter what the circumstances. Most people can be pleasant when things are going well, but a personal assistant needs to be able to do it under stress and pressure. She must also be able to balance courtesy with assertiveness when necessary to insulate you from unwanted solicitation and other distractions.

Organizational Skills

A personal assistant must be highly organized and detail oriented. She will be handling your calendar, scheduling appointments, taking calls, writing down messages, screening postal and email and doing other duties that require care and accuracy. Furthermore, she must be able to distinguish and handle high-priority items and set aside unimportant ones. She should be proficient in calendar and scheduling software.

Flexibility

Sometimes the most carefully laid plans can fall apart with little or no warning. A personal assistant must be flexible enough to deal with this. Instead of panicking or giving in to stress, she must be able to go quickly into damage-control mode. Also, she must be ready to handle any task the boss might toss at her.

Problem-Solving Skills

A personal assistant often acts as the “blocker” for her boss, screening calls and visitors and handing as much business as she can. This frees up the boss to concentrate on more important and pressing matters. The assistant must have good independent problem-solving skills so she can handle tricky situations herself and solve problems rather than consulting the boss for guidance.

Experience

A good personal assistant needs on-the-job experience. Education is important, but it cannot replicate the wide variety of situations that will be encountered in the workplace. Personal assistants get practice and hone their skills while working in the real-world environment. It takes some time to learn how to apply school learning and theoretical knowledge to real job situations.

Computer Skills

Personal assistants use computers to carry out many of their duties. A good personal assistant will know how to use word processing software, email, calendar and scheduling software and other programs that help her carry out her duties. Also, she should also be able to use the Internet proficiently, including research skills.